Current World Match Racing champion Ian Williams will return to Hamilton Harbour later this year to compete for one of the sport's most revered prizes - the King Edward VII Gold Cup.

The 31-year-old skipper made history last year when he became the first Englishman to win the prestigious World Match Racing title.

Williams is also a past Gold Cup winner, having defeated Mathieu Richard in a best- of-five final in 2006.

The lawyer, who took a sabbatical three years ago to concentrate solely on the art of match racing, is the current World Match Racing Championship points leader and breathing down his neck is Swede Bjorn Hansen who lost to Frenchman Richard in last year's Gold Cup final.

Richard, who will be back to defend his title in October, is the top ranked match racing skipper in the world followed by Williams, Bjorn and Italy's Paolo Cian who is also returning for this year's spectacle.

"Match race sailing is a great test of the cohesiveness of a team's ability to adapt to the diverse challenges posed by sailing different boats at different regattas," Williams stated on his website.

"In match racing, the team is everything. It is not possible to carry somebody - every member has to pull his weight as there is no slack in the system.

"Everybody on the boat has an important job to carry out all of the time, whether it's providing tactical input, trimming sails or making the manoeuvres happen."

This year's Gold Cup takes place from October 7-12 and is the eighth stage of the World Match Racing Tour in which sailors compete for the coveted world match racing title and is the oldest match racing competition in the world for one-design yachts.

Meanwhile, it was announced yesterday that insurers and reinsurers Argo Group are now title sponsors of the Gold Cup that attracts top skippers from around the world annually.

"The King Edward VII Gold Cup is a firm tradition in Bermuda and we look forward to working in partnership with the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club to make this year's event one of the best ever," stated Argo Group president Mark Watson. "The Gold Cup and Argo (Group) will make a perfect match as we both strive for excellence."

Ralph Richardson, Commodore of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, thanked Argo for their support and described the Gold Cup as "the premier event on the World Match Racing Tour".

"The King Edward VII Gold Cup has always been a highlight for sailors and always attracts the top sailors in the International Sailing Federation's match race rankings," he added.

In conjunction with this year's Gold Cup, the first annual Bermuda Festival of Sail will also be held with the primary objective to recruit and promote sailing to the community at large.

"I am thrilled the Gold Cup franchise continues to be a very strong and popular event," commented Premier Ewart Brown, who attended yesterday's press conference at RBYC.

"It is especially encouraging to learn this year's Gold Cup will reach out to families with the Festival of Sail.

"Iexpect this will be a positive addition for visitors and residents alike, providing the catalyst for this storied race to last for many years to come."

Past RBYC Commodore Somers Cooper added:"The BSA (Bermuda Sailing Association) are eager to support this initiative since one of our mandates is to introduce, promote and help provide access to the sport, eliminating or reducing the barriers that exists in a typically expensive sport.

"The BSA applaud the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and title sponsor Argo for their plans to improve the Bermuda Gold Cup and especially for including the community at large during the Festival of Sail which we believe will positively enhance the exposure of sailing in Bermuda."